In the Closet
by Lupusoctura
Summary: Ferb, you clever genius. Making Phineas and Isabella play Seven Minutes in Heaven? Why didn't WE ever think of that?


"Ferb, unlock this closet. Right now!"

 _Bang. Bang._ Through the darkness, the sound of Phineas's fists smacking against the wooden door felt loud enough to knock all the bones in Isabella's body out of place. She clasped her hands over her ears, startling herself with her own touch, and cried, "Phineas! Stop, stop!"

All she heard was heavy breathing and another bang, quieter and less heated. "Ferb!" Phineas yelped again, and Isabella instinctively reached out to touch him, a hot-and-cold feeling running through her fingertips when she made contact with his skin.

"Phineas, he's not going to let us out of this closet for another seven minutes," she said, trying to push the heated note out of her voice as she squeezed what she hoped was his shoulder. "It's called _Seven Minutes in Heaven_ for a reason." She felt as if all of her body heat was rushing to her head as she heard distant chuckling and whispering, coming from the other side of the door.

"Uh...Isabella? You're uh, kinda...er, grabbing my chest," Phineas stammered, resting his hand on top of her own. Mortified, Isabella immediately let go, clutching both her arms behind her back in sheer embarrassment.

"Oh, sorry...I was trying to grab-well, I wasn't trying to grab anything in _particular_ , I was just trying to grab... _something_ , so you'd stop banging on the door, but I was trying to aim for like, a shoulder or something, not your...chest, or anywhere...really, I wasn't trying to go for anywhere below the neck, but it was an accident, and-"

"Isabella, I get it," Phineas cut her off with a nervous chuckle, "it was an accident." Feeling some of the heat returning to the rest of her body, Isabella joined in the light laughter.

"Glad we're in agreement. While we're on the subject, though...nice abs."

The situation felt comfortable for a moment. Phineas's increased laughter slowly filled the space, and she laughed along until she realized that he was so close that she could feel his breath, almost solid, on the front of her neck. The heat returned to her head, and this time she was sure it wasn't her own. She felt her breath start to become uneven, almost like it was scraping against her throat.

She was here, he was here. In a closet, no bigger than three-by-four, with at least half of it taken up by coats and other out-of-season articles of clothing. Seven minutes, all alone, just her and the boy that had taken over her every other thought for the last seven years of her life. There was nothing more than a breath in between them.

"You okay there, Isabella? You, uh...got kinda silent."

Pause. "Oh, uh, yeah! I was just, you know...relishing the quiet. Life is so... _loud_." She closed both eyes and mentally winced, her mind bubbling with thought. _Really, Izzy? "Life is so loud"? What the heck does that even_ mean?

"Tell me about it. It feels like I haven't heard silence since I was five," Phineas paused, and Isabella released a breath in relief. "Heard silence. That's a funny phrase. I mean, you can't really _hear_ silence, it just...it's silence. It's...nothing."

"Well, you don't hear silence much when you're a part of the famous Phineas and Ferb crew," Isabella said, glad the conversation was balancing out. "I should know, I've been a part of it for seven years."

"...Wow. Really? That long?"

"Uh-huh. That long."

"..."

"..."

"Are you feeling, uh...claustrophobic, at all, Isabella?"

"No, why do you ask?"

"Uh..."

"Phineas? Are you okay? You're breathing really hard."

"I just...uh...have a mild fear of, uh...small spaces..."

 _Thud_.

"Phineas, ohmygosh, did you just faint?"

"..."

"Phineas!"

"I...I'm good, I'm good..."

"No, you are clearly _not_ good, lemme help you up."

"No, no you don't need to-"

"Too bad, I gotcha."

"...Thanks."

"You're welcome."

"No, really, thanks, I, uh...wow..."

"What's wrong? If you're going to faint again, just scream and I'll try to catch you. No guarantees, though, it's pretty dark in here."

"Nononono, I'm fine, it's just...I feel kinda embarrassed."

"..."

"..."

"Oh my God, Phineas, shut up, I'm your best friend. 'Tis in thy best friend code to not judge."

"...There's a 'thy best friend' code?"

"...Yes, yes there is."

"..."

"..."

"What else is in 'thy best friend' code?"

"Uh, well...to have your back, I guess, and uh...self-sacrifice, honesty, all that stuff. Oh! And most importantly, always willingly and diligently sharing thy cheesy popcorn."

"...Dangit, I broke it already."

"Hah hah, hah hah hah hah. Hah hah hah hah, hah hah hah hah. Hah hah, hah hah. Hah."

"...Are you done hah-ing?"

"Nope. One more."

"...Are you gonna-?"

"Hah."

"..."

"...But seriously, Phineas, are you okay?"

"...Yeah, I'm fine."

"That's good. I have fulfilled thy best friend code, then."

"...Yes, yes you have."

"..."

"..."

"Uh, Phineas, did you mean to grab my hand?"

"...Yeah, why? Oh, oh, sorry, is it too awkward? Oh man, I'm sorry, I just thought it would be okay, since, you know, we're friends and all-"

"Phineas, it's fine."

"...Really? Are you positive? No violation of thy best friend code or anything?"

"Positive. No violation of thy best friend code."

"..."

"..."

"Uh, Isabella? Just wondering...did you...did you mean to rest your head on my shoulder?"

"Yup. Why?"

"No reason. No violation of thy best friend code, or anything."

"..."

"..."

"Hey, Phineas? Just wondering...did you mean to rest your head on top of _my_ head?"

"Yeah, uh...it's pretty comfortable. I'd like to keep it there, if that's okay with you."

"Fine with me."

"No violation of thy best friend code?"

"No violation of thy best friend code."

"..."

"..."

"I don't mean to, uh, disturb you, or anything, Isabella, but...um, did you mean to let go of my hand and hug me?"

"Yup."

"Oh. Okay, just wondering."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"...Phineas?"

"Yes, Isabella?"

"Did you, uh...did you mean to, um, kiss me on the forehead?"

"...Yeah. I guess I did. Weird."

"..."

"Isabella, what are you-?"

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"Hey, uh, Isabella?"

"Yes, Phineas?"

"Did you, uh...mean to...kiss me on the lips?"

"Yes. Yes I did."

"Oh. _Oh._ "

"..."

"Um, would it be alright if we, uh, did it again? Would it be in violation of thy best friend code?"

"Yes. Yes it would."

"Oh."

"..."

"..."

"But you know what code it wouldn't be in violation of?"

"...What code?"

"The boyfriend-girlfriend code."

"Oh. Oh...!"

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"You know, Isabella, I'm pretty sure it's been more than seven minutes."

"Oh yeah. Definitely."

"Should we, uh...call for help?"

"Nope."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"...Agreed."


End file.
